Life on the Line
by flying drumsticks
Summary: A junior girl nicknamed Phoenix plays tenors on her school's drumline. This story basically covers her junior marching season, during which several misfortunes befall her.
1. The Beginning

Life on the Line

Sophomore Marching Season

Ally sat on the bus next to her best friend Tammy, who had been dubbed Phoenix in their freshmen year by a senior bassman. The two sophomores had their drumsticks and practice pads out, working on rudiments and cadences. Phoenix and Ally were the only two girls on the battery, or drumline, that year, but there were three freshmen girls in the pit who would probably make the battery next year. Andrew Vicks, a senior snare drummer and the battery captain, was also drumming away two rows behind Ally and Phoenix.

Kerri and Cara, two of the freshmen pitters, sat in the row next to Phoenix and Ally. "So Phoenix," Kerri said, turning in her seat to face the older girl, "how did you get that name anyway?"

Phoenix put down her sticks and said, "Steve, the senior on fourth bass last year, said I looked like something engulfed in a fire with the way I was always wearing red or orange. So one day he came up to me and was like, 'Tammy, you could fly like a phoenix. And you look like one too.' Kinda cheesy, I know, but I guess it just stuck. Everybody started calling me Phoenix after that."

"Cool," said Cara from the window seat.

"Yeah," said Phoenix. A slight lull in the conversation followed.

"Hey, do you guys have your sticks and pads?" Ally asked the two freshmen. They nodded their heads and started digging through their carry-on bags to get them out. "We'll teach you some cadences. By the way, what do you guys want to play next year?"

Cara answered immediately, "Bass."

Kerri looked embarrassed for a moment, then said, "Snare."

Phoenix smiled. "Awesome. You can show the guys how it's done."

Ally and Kerri switched seats so Ally could teach Cara some cadences on bass drum since she was on third bass that year.

Phoenix did her best to help Kerri get a jump start on some cadences on snare, but she only knew a few because she herself was a tenor player. She eventually had to resort to the sheet music for the cadences that the battery had received earlier in the season.

An hour later, the pit section leader called all his pitlings together for a meeting a few rows up from Ally and Phoenix, where most of the pit was sitting. Kerri and Cara moved up three rows and Ally went back to her seat. "Did Cara say which bass she wanted to play next year?" Phoenix asked Ally.

Ally answered, "She said second or third." Then she smiled and added, "I think I might have a run for my money—well, bass drum—at tryouts next year."

"You really think so?" Phoenix was doubtful her friend would lose her place on the battery.

"Yeah, you never know," Ally said. "So how did Kerri do? Please tell me you did not purposely teach her the wrong stuff because you're too lazy to dig out the music."

"Don't worry, Ally, I got out my music and everything. What, did you really think I would just teach her some random rhythms that fit in the groove?" Phoenix smiled reassuringly.

Seven months later: Battery Tryouts for the Next Season

All the percussionists sat outside the drum room, working on last minute touches on their audition materials. Since the band director, Mr. Swotcher, had decided they would audition by seniority, the juniors (the seniors for next year) were the first to go.

Jason, who had tried out for fifth bass, emerged from the drum room smiling. "How'd it go?" asked Dan, another of the upcoming seniors.

"Good," said Jason. "I think I'll have another year on the end of the bass line."

Brad, who was the first of the upcoming juniors to audition, was next. He put his hand on the door handle, turned around to look back at everyone, and said, "Wish me luck." But before anyone could even open their mouth to say good luck to him, Brad had disappeared into the drum room.

Fifteen minutes later he came out. "Before you ask," he told everyone looking expectantly at him, "I don't know what to think of how I did."

Now it was finally Ally's turn. She and Phoenix did their good luck handshake, then she grabbed her sticks and music and entered the drum room.

"Alright, Ally, what are you auditioning for?" the drum coach asked.

"Third bass," Ally responded nervously.

"Okay. Why don't you start with Bucks?"

Ally carefully marked time and watched her stick height on the accent tap exercise. Then she played Double Beat, Triplet Control, What a Drag, and Sixteenth Note Timing. All too soon it was time for the part Ally had been dreading most: sight reading. She flipped the piece of music over on the stand in front of her and started air-sticking through it.

"Your thirty seconds are up," the drum coach told her after what seemed like thirty minutes. He turned a metronome on at 120 beats per minute. "Here's your tempo. Begin when you're ready.

Ally took a deep breath and counted herself off with the standard eight clicks. She got through the piece fairly well, but the flam paradiddles threw her off slightly.

At last the audition was over. Ally heaved a sigh of relief and went back into the main part of the band room. Dan immediately asked her, "Well, how was it?"

Ally shrugged. "I think I did okay."

Jason shook his head. "You _think_ you did okay? I _know_ you were more than okay. You're always being so modest."

After everyone had auditioned, Mr. Swotcher told them the results would be posted the next day. Ally, Phoenix, Jason, Dan, Brad, Jack (an upcoming senior who tried out for snare), and Eddy (an upcoming junior who tried out for fourth bass) went out to eat at Capalbo's, the local restaurant that supported the marching band and served as a hangout for its members. They all felt their nerves ease as they laughed and ate the greasy Italian buffet food.

True to Mr. Swotcher's word, the results were taped on the drum room door the next day:

Battery

Bass Snare Tenors

1 Jessie Dan Phoenix

2 Cara Jack Brad

3 Ally Michael

4 Eddy Kerri

5 Jason Billy

Pit

Jeff Greg

Chester Natalie

Alex Mike

Christy Trey


	2. Drum Camp

Drum Camp

The twenty marching percussionists met in the band room at 8:00 AM on the first Tuesday in July for their first day of drum camp. Their regular drum coach, Matt, was there along with two other percussion instructors, Dave and Nick. The battery pulled out their drums while the pit got out three marimbas, a xylophone, and a vibraphone. Then Matt called them all to the front of the room.

"Alright guys, this is Dave" Matt indicated the shorter of the other two guys "and this is Nick. We're all going to be helping both the pit and the battery, but for the most part Dave will take care of the pit and Nick and I will help the battery." There was a general murmur of assent throughout the drummers. "The battery will be in the back parking lot and the pit will be in the band room, unless Dave tells you guys otherwise. Cool?" Another murmur of agreement. "Alright. But first we're all going to stretch together, so everyone sit in a circle."

The pit and battery members arranged themselves into a giant ring and stretched as Matt directed. Some of the less flexible guys groaned as they tried to touch their toes. After about ten minutes of stretching, Matt decided it was time to get started. The pitters grabbed their mallets while the battery put on their drums and walked out to the parking lot.

In the parking lot, the battery formed an arc around Matt, Nick, and the metronome to warm up. They played Eights at varying heights for at least an hour. Matt constantly yelled at them to get their feet and hands together with the met, while Nick just insisted that they play together and look together no matter if they were with the met or not. Finally it was time for a water break.

Jessie, Cara, Ally, Phoenix, and Kerri sat on the band room steps to drink their water and talk.

"I'm so sick of Eights," Jessie, who was on first bass, complained. "We haven't even started doing splits yet." She was referring to bass line splits, not gymnastic splits.

"Yeah, I know," said Ally. "But it should get more interesting soon."

"Look on the bright side," Phoenix told Jessie. "At least your drum isn't that heavy. And if you ever want to switch with me, just say the word. Believe me, you can carry my tenors around any time you want." She smiled as Jessie vigorously shook her head.

"So how are you doing with snare?" Cara asked Kerri.

Kerri smiled. "It's good. I really can't complain, other than the fact that Eight on a Hand is the most boring exercise in the world." The other girls nodded their agreement.

All too soon the battery's water break was over and they had to go back onto the baking hot black top to start tracking. Many of the drummers were not happy to begin tracking, the steady marching around the parking lot with no specific destination. They played some more Eights are they marched and finally moved on to Bucks. They were just starting to sound fairly clean on it when it was time to break for lunch.

"Just one more time then we'll go to lunch," Matt said for the third time. "And I really mean it this time." Jason rolled his eyes, but he hoped Matt was telling the truth; fifth bass was not a light instrument.

The battery finally went back to the band room to put away their drums and get their lunches or their money and car keys. When they entered the band room, the pit was still playing Green Scales. The Battery quickly and quietly gathered what they needed, then went to sit on the steps outside to eat or get into their cars to pick up some fast food. Phoenix, the only one of the girls with a license, offered to drive the others to Chick-Fil-A, but they declined. Phoenix merely shrugged and went to see if anyone else needed a ride. She ended up taking Brad and Jason with her.

Fifteen minutes later they came back, each carrying a Chick-Fil-A bag and drink. Phoenix sat down on the steps next to Ally, who immediately started begging for some waffle fries. When Brad heard Ally, he called to her, "You know those aren't fat free, right?"

"Shut up, Brad!" Ally yelled back at him.

Eventually Phoenix broke down and gave Ally some fries, but until then she thoroughly enjoyed taunting her friend by slowly eating them one at a time.

After the girls had finished eating Jessie stood up, stretched, and checked her watch. "We still have half an hour," she said.

"Let's go see what's going on inside," Kerri suggested.

When they walked into the band room, they were greeted by a whirlwind of sound and activity. Someone had put an Usher CD in the band room's stereo system and turned it was up. Jason and Eddy had picked up their basses and were playing along with the CD while Michael and Jack worked on a cadence on their snares. When Jack spotted Kerri, he called over to her, "Kerri! Come drum with us!"

_Why not?_ Kerri thought. "I need to work on that cadence," she told the other girls before walking across the band room and picking up her snare.

The other girls went to investigate a table that about seven or eight people were crowded around. To no one's surprise, they saw it was a game of Texas Hold 'Em that everyone was so enthralled in. When the hand was over, Phoenix and Ally sat down at the table. "Deal us in Dan," Phoenix told her section leader.

Ally looked back at Cara and Jessie. "Do you guys want to play?"

Cara shook her head. "We'll pass," Jessie said.

"Suit yourself," Dan said as he flicked out cards. One of them hit Billy's face by accident.

"Hey, watch it!" he said.

"Sorry, man," Dan said with a laugh. Cara and Jessie giggled along with everyone else then walked back across the band room. Cara dug her own deck of cards out of her bag and she, Jessie, Trey, and two of the freshmen guys in the pit, Mike and Greg, started a game of Egyptian Rat.

At 1:00 their lunch break was over and Matt, Nick, and Dave had returned from getting lunch at Taco Bell. When they walked through the door and yelled for someone to shut the music off, Jeff, the only senior in pit, ejected his CD. Jason, Eddy, Michael, Kerri, and Jack stopped playing and put their drums down while everyone else put away the cards they had been using.

"Battery outside, pit in here," Matt told everyone. The percussionists got their drums or mallets and went back to their separate rehearsal areas. Matt went to help the pit, so Nick brought the met out to the parking lot and directed the battery.

"Alright, we're going to start where we left off before lunch after a little bit of Eights," Nick said. The battery played Eights enough to loosen up their wrists again and refocus. Then Nick asked, "Dan, what tempo were we at for Bucks before lunch?"

"I think it was about 140," Dan answered.

"Okay," Nick said as he punched in the numbers. "First we're going to do Bucks with just marking time, and then we'll start tracking again once you guys are together."

It took the battery about ten minutes of playing Bucks before Nick decided they were ready to start tracking some more. They tracked through the back parking lot, around the school to the front parking lot, up the hill to the juniors parking lot, and then they turning around and tracked back to the band room.

While the battery was outside sweating and tracking, the pit was inside working on Green Scales, Triplets, and War. Dave had drilled them on Green Scales all morning and they were able to play it at 150 beats per minute in the key of B-flat, 140 in the key of E-flat, and 135 in the key of F. However, they could only play Triplets at 120 before lunch, and they were consequently working on that now. Matt and Dave helped the un-experienced freshmen with the Piston Stroke technique; their mallet heights were looking uniform by the end of the day.

At 4:00 the battery headed inside and put their drums away while the pit put away the keyboards. Matt told them that everything had gone well overall for the first day and that they were to report at 8:00 AM again tomorrow. By 4:30 everyone had gone home.

The next two of the three days of drum camp passed in much the same way as the first had. The battery progressed from Bucks to Sixteenth Note Timing and finally to Double Beat on the last day. By the third afternoon, the pit had learned Green scales in all keys, could play Triplets at 135 and War at 126, and had developed a uniform piston stroke. Drum camp had been a success.


	3. Trouble for Phoenix

AN: Just to clear up any confusion, Phoenix is a girl, not a guy. Her real name is Tamera (Tammy) and Phoenix is her nickname. Hope that helps.And sorry it took me forever and day to update. I'm a bit of the procrastination type.

Trouble for Phoenix

Phoenix's troubles began a week later at band camp. She often passed out or hurled supposedly because of the extreme heat in the front parking lot. Ally and Brad were concerned, but Phoenix always just shrugged their questions off. "It's nothing," she would repeatedly tell them. "I passed out last year, remember?"

"Yeah, once," Brad said. "Not once _a day_."

Other than this trouble, band camp passed fairly uneventfully. Summer gave way to the start of the new school year and football season. Everyone in the marching band was pumped for the fist football game.

During the first quarter of this first game, the band played the fight song repeatedly as the football team scored over and over again. At half time, the show (called "Gotham City: Heroes and Villains") went pretty smoothly. In the second half of the game, the drumline played many cadences, including Kadence with a K, Giligasm, and Pig Latin. Their team won the game with a score of 21-19. Almost everyone in the band went out to the traditional hangout, Capalbo's, to celebrate after the game.

The second game, however, did not go nearly as well as the first.

The first two quarters were fine: the football team scored and the band played multiple stand tunes. Half time, and the marching band's performance, brought problems.

The opener of the show went well; the crowd cheered loudly. During the ballad, the battery stood silently waiting behind the props. Then it was drum solo time. As part of the show's special effects, all the lights on the field went out when the battery and pit started to play. Phoenix, on the end of the line of battery members, happily played her tenors as she marched forward on the pitch-black field.

Suddenly she heard footsteps and felt something bump into her drums, followed by a sharp pain around her ribs on her right side. Phoenix let out a gasp and tried to keep marching, but she just couldn't do it; it felt like her entire right side was on fire. She fell down and heard Brad say, "Not again. Dan! Phoenix is down!" Dan took note of this, but there was nothing any of them could do until after the closer was finished.

As soon as the show was over, the battery members raced back to Phoenix, who still lay gasping for air near the back of the field. She had somehow managed to get her drums off, but was still in extreme pain. Ally, bolting ahead of the others, was the first to reach her.

"Phoenix!" she yelled. "Phoenix, what happened?" When Phoenix did not respond, Ally yelled, "Tammy! Tamera! What happened!"

Phoenix, who had not been called by her real name at any band event for two years, opened her eyes. She saw Ally and the rest of the battery gathered around her. Everyone seemed so blurry though…why couldn't she think straight? _Am I dying?_ Phoenix wondered. She managed to gasp, "Ribs…air…air…."

Ally and Brad looked at Phoenix's rib cage and, sure enough, noticed a large red tear in her uniform in that area. Ally carefully rolled her friend onto her uninjured left side so they could get her uniform jacket and harness off. Even this slight movement caused Phoenix to scream in agony. When Ally rolled Phoenix back onto her back, everyone was horrified. There was a large knife wound bleeding through her t-shirt.

By this time the band director and Matt had arrived. They crouched down by Phoenix's head.

"Phoenix," Mr. Swotcher said, "Phoenix, can you hear me? We're going to get you taken care of, don't worry."

"Ribs…cold…so cold," Phoenix panted.

Matt peeled off his sweatshirt, wadded it up, and pressed it against Phoenix's ribs. Within a minute the bottom was soaked with blood and he had to flip it over.

The paramedics arrived. They put Phoenix carefully on a stretcher and asked her what had happened.

"Drum solo…dark…bump…then pain," was all Phoenix could manage. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

"She collapsed during the drum solo," Brad told the paramedics as they placed an oxygen mask over Phoenix's mouth and nose.

They nodded and put Phoenix into the ambulance. Mr. Swotcher, Matt, and Ally climbed in after them. Dan was left in charge of the battery. "Someone get Jeff and Trey," he said. When no one moved, he shouted, "Billy! Go get Jeff and Trey!" Billy nodded, tilted his snare up, and started running toward the stands where the rest of the band was. He returned three minutes later with Jeff and Trey on his heels.

"Get Phoenix and Ally's drums," Dan instructed the pitters. They complied and returned to the stands with the rest of the battery.

Samantha and Jordan, the two drum majors, were trying to keep the band clam, but weren't succeeding. When the band saw the battery trudge somberly across the field to the stands, they knew whatever had happened was _bad._ Samantha raced up to Dan as soon as the battery reached the stands.

"What happened?" she asked him, concern in her eyes.

Dan couldn't meet her eye. He looked down at his drum head and said, "Phoenix…we think she was…was…stabbed." He barely whispered the last word.

Samantha gasped. "Should we tell the band?"

"They'll find out soon anyway," Dan said. As she turned to go, Dan stopped her. "No, let me tell them." Samantha hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. Dan tried to smile, failed, and rather awkwardly patted her shoulder instead. Then he took off his drum, climbed the drum major's ladder, and took a deep breath. The band quieted instantly and looked at him expectantly.

"Okay," he said to them, "before rumors start flying around, let's just get this straight. Phoenix collapsed during the drum solo-" many band members' eyes got wider "-and-" Dan chocked. "And we think she's been-" he chocked again "been stabbed." There was a collective intake of breath. Dan sniffed his suddenly running nose and got down from the ladder. Samantha and Jordan resumed trying to calm and comfort the band.

Kerri was in tears and Cara and Jessie were close to the same. Brad, like Dan, suddenly found he needed a tissue, but he did not shed a single tear. Eddy, Jason, and Michael did their best to comfort the girls while Jack and Billy silently gave their condolences to Dan and Brad. At last Dan picked up his drum and muttered, "Let's go." The battery, along with Jeff and Trey, left the stadium. Nobody tried to stop them.

Back in the drum room, everyone silently put their equipment away. When Trey got a wet paper towel to wipe the blood off of Phoenix's harness, Dan told him, "Leave it." Trey didn't argue; he hung the harness on the shelf in its regular place, a bloody reminder of what had happened.

"What do we do now?" Michael asked, breaking the silence.

"We go home and pray to God that Phoenix will be okay," Dan told them all.


	4. The Week After

AN: I know this chapter is a bit on the short side, but...you'll just have to deal with it. Hope you enjoy!

The Week After

On Monday Ally came to school, but from the look of her bloodshot eyes, everyone could tell she would have put the day to better use catching up on her sleep. She was so groggy from her sleepless weekend spent by Phoenix's hospital bed that she didn't really remember much of anything that happened that Monday. Looking back, all her classes just seemed like a huge blur in her mind. Luckily, during percussion class Mr. Swotcher let her sleep while he instructed the other drummers; Matt was nowhere to be seen.

When Mr. Swotcher told her to catch some sleep, Ally just blankly nodded and went into the relative peace of the drum room. Seconds later she came back out screaming.

Brad and Cara raced over to her. "What's wrong?" they asked.

Ally's eyes widened even more than they already had. "There's blood on…on…" she couldn't seem to bring herself to say Phoenix's name "_her_ harness!"

Brad muttered something along the lines of "Dan's fault, stupid jerk." Then he turned around and yelled, "Dan! _Harness_!" He jerked his head toward Ally.

"Crap!" Dan mumbled to himself as he ran across the band room toward Ally, Brad, and Cara. He put his arm around Ally's waist to support her; her face was pale with shock. "Ally, I didn't mean for you to just see it like that. I was going to tell you beforehand. I'm-" But Dan didn't get to finish his apology. Ally had fainted from a combination of lack of sleep and the shocking reality check.

Dan and Brad looked at each other, shrugged, and then carried Ally into the drum room to let her sleep.

On Friday Phoenix returned to school. When she gingerly walked into the band room before homeroom that morning, she was immediately engulfed by her fellow drummers in a group hug. Phoenix smiled; she hadn't realized just how much everyone cared about each other within the drumline.

Brad asked her, "So, can we see it? Is it really gross?"

Phoenix sighed happily and hitched up her t-shirt so they could see the damage. There wasn't much to look though; her entire ribcage was wrapped up in a white surgical bandage. The other percussionists just stared at her for a moment. When Phoenix realized why no one was saying anything, she quickly explained, "You don't want to see underneath. It's _really_ nasty. Besides, I'm not allowed to unwrap it at all until tomorrow morning. Doctor's orders."

After a slight pause one of the sophomores asked, "So, what were you up to while you were in the hospital?"

"Not much," Phoenix truthfully replied. "Just listening to a lot of Linkin Park and Papa Roach, watching movies, doing homework…nothing too exciting. Oh yeah, Ally, I need to tell you something, but later."

"Okay." Ally interpreted the look in her best friend's eyes as one that said _I can't tell you in front of everyone, it's too personal._

The drummers broke apart when the bell for homeroom rang.

During percussion class later that day, Matt walked over to talk to Phoenix while she set up her tenors on a stand.

"Can you make it to the game tonight?" he asked her.

Phoenix shrugged uncertainly. "I don't know if I can march, but I'm definitely coming." As an afterthought she suggested, "Maybe I could just play in the stands?"

"Whatever you think you can manage is cool with me," Matt told her. "Hmm, I think I have an idea. Trey! C'mere!"

Trey pulled the xylophone he was wheeling out of the drum room off to the side so it would be out of the way of everyone else getting out equipment, and trotted over to Matt and Phoenix. "What's up?" he asked Matt.

"Could you carry Phoenix's tenors when we're marching in and out of the stadium tonight? Then Phoenix won't be completely left out in the stands, and I'm sure she'll carry your cymbals, right Phoenix?" Matt asked.

Phoenix nodded. She liked this idea. She would still be able to play in the stands even though she wouldn't be able to march at halftime. That could work out quite well for her.

Trey, who was delighted at the chance to play tenors, even if it was just on cadences going in and out of the stands, readily agreed.

"Alright, it's settled," Matt said. "Trey do you know the cadences? I've heard you practicing tenors a lot after school."

"I'm pretty sure I know almost all of them," Trey said with confidence. "And Phoenix and Brad can teach me whatever I don't know before the game. I'll be fine."

"Cool," Matt said.

AN: Get ready for Phoenix to spill her secret next chapter!


	5. Phoenix's Confession

AN: A little more drama before things get better for Phoenix.

Phoenix's Confession

After percussion class, Phoenix and Ally walked to the bathroom so they could talk in semi-privacy.

"Ally, you know why I got sick and passed out so much at band camp this year?" Phoenix asked her friend.

"I was wondering about that because last year you were fine, but I didn't really want to pry on you or anything," Ally said.

"Well, my step dad…he…he hits me a lot. I don't why. It really just, I don't know, affected my immune system or something, cause my body is always so busy trying to heal all the cuts and bruises." To Phoenix's shame, tears threatened to spill over from her eyes.

"Phoenix…I'm so sorry. You should have told me way before this. I should have picked up on this a long time ago," Ally said.

Phoenix looked at the ground. "I would have told you sooner, but he said if I told anyone, he'd pull me out of school and band and everything else! Basically cut off all my escapes from him. He'd make my life even more miserable!" A lone tear rolled down her cheek and Phoenix angrily swiped it away. "That's why I didn't want to take off the bandage in class. Everyone would see all the marks and figure out what's going on. And that would be the end for me!"

"Phoenix, if I had known, you know I would do everything to help you. I'm going to help you, starting right now, and he doesn't have to know. We'll keep him from finding out, I promise. Why don't you spend the night at my house tonight after the game?"

Phoenix nodded. She couldn't speak for the tears that choked her. Ally pulled her best friend into a hug and wiped away Phoenix's tears with the back of her sleeve. "It's gonna be okay. We'll get you out of there, whatever it takes."

As promised, Phoenix spent the night at Ally's house that night after the football game and Capalbo's. Ally's parents didn't mind Phoenix's presence in the least since she often spent the night there. When the girls got back from Capalbo's, they went upstairs to Ally's room and Ally got on the internet. She Googled "abusive step parents" and read aloud what she found.

"Hey, Phoenix, listen to this," Ally said. "'Authorities can help in cases of child abuse, no matter how mild or severe. Your local police station is an excellent place to report cases to.' Phoenix, we're going to the police station."

"Right now?" Phoenix asked. "Ally dear, in case you didn't realize, it's like two o'clock in the morning. Who's gonna be there at this hour?"

"Well not right this second. I was thinking more like tomorrow after breakfast." Phoenix sighed; Ally knew she wasn't going to give in easily. "Phoenix, do you want to be in pain forever? It's only going to get worse if you don't tell the police. And if you don't get better you won't be able to march, even after you recover from your other mishap. Do you ever want to march again?"

Ally's last statement cracked Phoenix. "Alright!" she relented. "We'll go tomorrow morning."

At the police station the following morning, the girls were directed to a police officer's office by the woman at the front desk. They entered the small office and the officer gestured to two chairs in front of his desk, inviting them to take a seat. "Name?" he asked.

"Tamera Mills," Phoenix replied.

"And what brings you young ladies here today?" the officer inquired, taking out a small notebook to take notes on the conversation.

"Well we came here to report a recurring incident involving my step dad," Phoenix said, then paused, suddenly unsure that she wanted the officer to know the whole story. The threat of her step dad's wrath if he found out about her going to the police made Phoenix shiver.

"What is this 'recurring incident'?" the officer prodded.

Phoenix took a deep breath. _We're already here, may as well just get this over with_, she thought. Then she said simply, "He hits me a lot."

"Interesting." The officer scribbled in his notebook. "What's your step father's name?"

"Earl Hangood."

"Okay. And I take it your mother doesn't know about this?"

"No, sir," Phoenix said.

"Alright, why don't we just give her a call? Could I have her number?" the officer asked.

Phoenix paled slightly. "But what if _he_ answers the phone? Then he'll know what's going on and I'm toast!"

"Don't worry, Tamera. We can handle him. He'll be in the hands of the law soon anyway. It'll be fine," the officer told her.

Phoenix sighed, "Okay." She gave the officer her mother's phone number and he called her from his desk.

The girls could hear the phone ringing on the other side. When Phoenix's mother picked up the officer said, "Mrs. Mills? This is Officer Fulsh. I have some interesting news involving your daughter and husband." He then explained the situation to Mrs. Mills. Ally and Phoenix could hear her gasp in shock. Officer Fulsh hung up the phone a few minutes later and told Phoenix, "Your mother is on her way here now. She should be here shortly."

Ten minutes later Mrs. Mills burst into the office where Ally, Phoenix, and Officer Fulsh were waiting for her. "Oh Tammy, I'm so sorry!" she cried as she hugged her daughter.

AN: Hope you enjoyed! Reviews are highly appreciated wink wink


	6. The Fourth Game

AN: Back to the marching world. I would greatly appreciate it if you guys would review, it helps me know I'm not posting this on here for nothing. Thanks! Hope you enjoy!

The Fourth Game

The next week, Phoenix seemed to be making a miraculous recovery from her wound. Even the black bruises that perpetually covered her arms started to fade away. Although Phoenix blamed the bruises on her clumsy-ness, Ally now knew better. When Ally observed the dulling bruises, she knew Phoenix's life at home was improving.

The Friday was an away football game, but that only meant a fun-filled bus ride was in store for the band. Phoenix and Ally took their usual seats at the back of the bus among the other battery members.

"Ally," Phoenix said with a grin on her face, "guess what? I have _the_ best news."

"What is it?" Ally asked. She didn't like being kept in suspense.

"My mom and Earl are getting a divorce!"

"Phoenix, that's great!" Ally exclaimed, giving her friend a quick hug. "I take it that's why the bruises are going away?" she added in an undertone.

Phoenix gave a quick nod.

Brad, who was sitting with Kerri in the row behind them, asked, "Hey Phoenix, when do you think you'll be able to march again? It's lonely being the only tenor out there."

"Probably by next week's game," Phoenix told her fellow tenor drummer. "I miss being on the field with you guys."

"We miss you too," Kerri said.

Brad blew a kiss to Phoenix. "I anxiously await your return, sweetheart," he said in an overly romantic voice.

"It's good to know I'm loved," Phoenix commented with a smile.

When the band arrived at the school, the loading crew and percussionists got off the buses first to unload the truck with all the instruments on it. As soon as all the battery members had their drums out, they neatly lined up the cases and headed for a corner of the parking lot to warm up.

"Arc it up!" Dan called. The battery formed their warm-up arc around him and took out their sticks. "Cadence Number Eight," Dan instructed them as he tapped everyone off. The drummers smiled at the new name for Eight on a Hand.

After ten minutes of warming up, the battery re-joined the rest of the band, which was now warming up on the other side of the parking lot. Mr. Swotcher instructed the drummers to start playing on the next repetition. When Samantha and Jordan, the drum majors, cut the band off Dan called to the rest of the battery, "Get ready guys, we're in on this rep!"

"Top of the closer!" Samantha yelled. "Set!"

The band played the last movement of their show, and then filed into their long two column lines to march into the stadium. The drumline played the Street Beat cadence as they entered the stands. However, unfortunately for the battery, the visitors' side bleachers at this school were smaller than normal, so they were forced to stand on the track. Even without the drumline in the stands, the band took up more than half of the visitors' side.

The game and the half time show were both successful. Phoenix got a completely different view of the show from the stands rather than the field. When the band came back after half time, Phoenix commented to Brad, "I can honestly say that the show sounded really good from here."

Brad smiled. "You rock, Phoenix," he said.

The band returned to school after the game and everyone quickly put away their instruments. They were all eager to vacate the band room before Mr. Swotcher recruited them to clean it.

Ally and Phoenix lingered in the drum room to talk after everyone else had put away their drums and left. "So, what exactly happened with Earl?" Ally asked.

"My mom kicked him out of the house the day she found out what he had doing. They're going to be formally divorced in October," Phoenix explained.

"That's good. I'm so glad you're getting better now," Ally said.

"Yeah, so am I," Phoenix replied.

The girls made plans to go to the mall the next day, then said their goodbyes and left the band room.

Please review. It means so much to me. Thank you!


	7. Saturday at the Mall

AN: I know this is rather short, but to make up for it I posted 2 chapters at once! Lame excuse, I know. Anyway, I hope you're enjoying this story!

Saturday at the Mall

The next morning Phoenix drove to Ally's house at 10:00 to pick her up on the way to the downtown mall. Ally told her parents she would be home by 8:00, and then hopped into Phoenix's Ford Explorer. "Ready to shop?" she asked Phoenix.

"Only if you are," Phoenix replied. "Here," she passed Ally her CD case, "pick out a CD."

"Okay." Ally flipped through the disks while Phoenix drove out of her neighborhood. Finding one she liked, Ally pulled out the CD and asked, "Linkin Park alright?"

"Heck yes," Phoenix agreed.

Ally popped the disk in the CD player and cranked up the volume. Both girls smiled as the opening notes of Linkin Park's third major album, "Meteora", played. When the song "Don't Stay" started, they both sang along:

_Sometimes I need to remember just to breathe_

_Sometimes I need you to stay away from me!_

Twenty minutes and six songs later they pulled into the mall parking lot near the JC Penny entrance. Phoenix found a vacant space near the middle of the lot and parked her Explorer. As the girls entered the mall through the JC Penny front doors, Ally asked, "Where do you want to go first?"

"Hot Topic," Phoenix said decidedly.

In Hot Topic Phoenix and Ally browsed through shirts, wristbands, and socks with various metal and rock band logos and other patterns on them. After searching and rocking out to the store's music for about half an hour, they purchased matching checkered socks and Phoenix bought a My Chemical Romance wristband as well. When they emerged from Hot Topic, Phoenix slipped on her new wristband while they walked to Rack Room Shoes "just for the randomness of it", as Ally put it. Needless to say, they didn't buy any shoes.

They wandered around the mall for a few hours, going into different shops, sometimes buying items, but most of the time just looking around. At about 3:00 after an extremely loud rumble from Ally's stomach, they decided to go to Sweet Tomatoes for lunch/dinner, and then go over to the nearby theater to see a movie. When the girls left the mall, Phoenix had bought the socks and wristband from Hot Topic, some strawberry lip gloss from Bath and Body Works, and a book called Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman (AN: this is an excellent book!) from Barnes and Noble. Ally had bought the checkered socks, an Armor for Sleep CD from Barnes and Noble, and a braided hemp sailor's bracelet and blueberry chap stick from Kohl's.

Ally and Phoenix ate like growing teenage boys at Sweet Tomatoes, then drove to a 4:30 showing of "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." They both immensely enjoyed the fantasy movie and talked about it in the car the entire ride home.

Phoenix dropped Ally off at her house around 8:00, just when her parents were expecting her, and then headed home herself. It had been a fabulous day all around.

AN: Next chapter shall contain more marching band related matters, in case you're not into the social lives of Ally and Phoenix. Out of curiosity, does any one listen to Armor for Sleep? And reviews are highly appreciated! Thanks!


	8. First Practice Back

AN: As promised, this chapter is short, but contains marching (as the name implies).

First Practice Back

That Monday Phoenix and Ally both wore their checked socks to school on unplanned impulse. They laughed when they discovered their matching socks in band class.

For Phoenix, the school day dragged on endlessly, even more than the usual Monday. She had decided she was ready to go back to marching band practice starting today. Her excitement for the afternoon slowed the clocks down. Phoenix anxiously tapped out show music and cadences on her desk in Physics, AP Language, and Government. During band class she played has tenors with a renewed vigor. At last the final bell rang and it was time to get ready for rehearsal.

Phoenix and Ally picked up their Oakpine Band duffel bags from the band room and walked to the women's restroom to change into their shorts and tennis shoes. Then they filled up their water bottles in the cafeteria and went back to the band room to wolf down some Pop Tarts from the vending machines and get out their drums. Finally, fifteen minutes later Ally, Phoenix, and the rest of the battery marched to the familiar rehearsal site of the front parking lot while playing "Kadence with a K."

A few of the flutists danced to the cadence when the battery reached the parking lot. The drummers finished the cadence then put their drums down to join the stretching and physical warm up block. The band stretched and ran for fifteen minutes before Mr. Swotcher instructed them all to drink some water, pick up their instruments, and set up the first drill formation in the closer.

From Phoenix's point of view, the rehearsal went by in the blink of an eye, though it actually lasted three hours. All too soon it was time for the final run of the entire show. "Grab some water, and then set up the top of the show!" called Mr. Swotcher. The band cheered; rehearsal was almost over.

Phoenix enjoyed every moment of her first run of the show in over two weeks. Although she missed a few step-offs and direction changes here and there, her overall performance was good. When the run was over Brad asked her, "How does it feel to be back on the line?"

"Awesome!" Phoenix said with a grin.

In the drum room after Mr. Swotcher's final announcements of the day, Dan gathered the battery members together. "Phoenix," he said, "we made you a little something while you were in the hospital. Hope you like it."

Dan handed her a small, square object. It was a burned mix CD with their show music, some cadences, and a live recording of the drum solo. "Thank you guys so much!" Phoenix said. "You have no idea how much this means to me. I feel so special! I'm definitely listening to this on the way home." The other eleven drummers smiled sheepishly at Phoenix in their way of saying "We love you."


	9. Mini Camp

Mini Camp

The next Saturday the marching band had one of the infamous mini camp rehearsals from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM to prepare for their competition the following weekend. Phoenix, unlike most of the other band members, was delighted.

In the morning, the entire band did their usual physical warm up of stretching and running around the front parking lot. Afterwards everyone split off into sectionals in different locations around the school until the lunch break. The pit and battery had the front parking lot all to themselves. Matt lead the percussionists through a musical warm up before they started actually marching and playing their show music. After the warm up Matt sent Billy to find Jordan, one of the drum majors, to follow the battery with the metronome while they marched across the parking lot. Normally Matt would have done this job himself, but he wanted to take advantage of the empty drum major's tower so he could hear how well the pit and battery lined up musically and see the battery's drill formations.

Once Jordan was standing ready with the metronome behind the battery, Matt instructed them to play and march from the transition between the ballad and the closer to the fifth drill page of the closer. Jordan turned on the metronome at one hundred seventy beats per minute, and after eight clicks the battery lurched into motion across the field as the pit played the first notes of their mallet run feature. Suddenly the battery put their sticks out and began to play with the pit while simultaneously changing directions and marching forward instead of sideways. Matt, however, cut them off. Jordan turned off the metronome, and everyone stopped playing and looked up at Matt expectantly. "Battery," Matt called, "you didn't enter in time with the pit. Don't listen to what they're playing; the sound takes too long to reach you back there. Just listen to the met. Reset!"

The battery raced back to their positions on the field for the transition, and they started the segment again. This time they entered in time with the pit, which pleased Matt. They repeated this section of the show three more times, and then moved on to the drum solo, which Matt drilled them on for the remaining hour until lunch. When it was finally lunch time, the pitters covered their keyboards and trooped gratefully back inside with the battery to sit on the cool tile in the hallway and eat lunch.

Lunch was not greatly exciting. The battery girls ate with Sarah, Harrison, and Mark, three of the mellophone players. After they finished eating, Ally and Phoenix joined a few of the guys already in the drum room and took a short nap. Twenty minutes later, at the end of the hour long lunch break, Brad walked in the room and clicked on the lights. Several groans greeted him. "Come on sleepy heads," he mock-crooned to them, "You have to come back to reality now. And that reality is that we have to be at the football field in ten minutes." Ally, Phoenix, Dan, Michael, Eddy, and Jack all slid off the percussion storage shelves they had been napping on and grudgingly put their shoes and drums on before heading back outside.

For the first half of the afternoon block Mr. Swotcher worked with the full band on the closer. This nearly bored the drumline to tears as they had worked on the closer the entire morning. However, the second part of the afternoon was spent on the opener, which went quite smoothly. At last they broke for the dinner break at 4:30.

At exactly 6:30 the final block of rehearsal for the mini camp started. The battery went to the bus port with Matt to work on the opener while the rest of the band worked on the ballad at the stadium. Two hours later a slightly breathless clarinet player jogged up to the bus port from the stadium to inform Matt that they were going to work on the drum solo next. When she left, Matt told the drummers, "Apparently Swotcher wants us back at the stadium now because they're running the drum solo. So, to the field we go!"

"Don't sound so excited about it," Jason mumbled.

"What was that, Jason?" Matt asked.

"Nothing! It was nothing at all," Jason was quick to reply.

Matt smiled. "Uh-huh. That's what I thought you said."

Jason rolled his eyes, but made no further comment.

When the battery rejoined the band on the football field, they quickly found their places for the drum solo before the next repetition of it started. Samantha counted everyone off with a yell of "Mark time, mark!" and the percussion section began to play the complicated licks of the solo while the band set their instruments on the turf and started their sparring routine. The result, especially when viewed from the top of the stands, was impressive.

After several reps of the drum solo and fight scene, it was finally time for a water break and a full run of the show.

The run was without doubt the best show the band had marched in weeks in practice or performance. As they stood in their final set, everyone inhaling the sweet air of success, Mr. Swotcher called, "Alright, four taps from the snare, then turn to your left and march off. Go ahead, Dan." The battery captain hit his snare four times in a row while the band turned, then settled into the familiar _tap, tap, drag-tap_ each time his left foot hit the ground.

The band marched off the field perfectly in step and then pulled in close to the drum major's tower to hear the announcements. Mr. Swotcher complimented them highly on the successful day of rehearsal and told them they were in his opinion ready for next week's BOA (Bands of America) regional competition in Tampa, Florida.

AN: Next chapter is the last one tear Get ready for the competition scene!


	10. BOA Tampa

AN: The last chapter. Hope you enjoy (and review!)

BOA Tampa

A week later Phoenix and Ally climbed off the bus along with the rest of the Oakpine High School marching band, pumped up for their competition performance. As Ally took her bass drum out of its case, her heart rate spiked up in anticipation. She was nervous about the show the band would march just two short hours from now. Because at this show, judges in green BOA polo shirts would chase them around the field while keeping up a constant monologue about the performance on small handheld tape recorders. Those tapes would decide whether or not the band would advance to the finals. Ally shook her head, trying not to dwell on this nerve-racking reality.

On Ally's left, Jason hefted the giant fifth bass onto his shoulders. To her right, Dan was busy tightly taping Kerri's uniform jacket sleeves and helping her Velcro on her gauntlets over them. After the drummers had all pulled out their drums and slid their cases back into the compartments under the bus, it was time to warm up.

In the warm up area, Matt led them through Eights and Double Beat to loosen up their wrists, and then did some last minute snare tuning. Although everyone on the battery was at least faintly nervous, they were all confident in their ability to march a clean show. Matt said a few words of encouragement to them, and then they joined the rest of the band for a short physical warm up of stretching and a basics marching block. The rest of the warm up time passed in a blur. All too soon the band was lined up in the tunnel, waiting to march onto the domed field.

Dan tapped everyone on to the field with full confidence. The two drum majors called a halt when they reached the fifty yard line at the very center of the field. On their command, the band scattered to their places for the opening set of the show. Phoenix could hardly stand still on her dot because she was so excited. She didn't feel even a trace of nerves now that they were actually standing on the field, waiting to start the show.

Jordan, standing on the drum majors' podium, called, "Set!" Everyone's instruments snapped up to attention. At the call "Band horns up!" all the instruments were brought up to playing position simultaneously. Finally he yelled, "Mark time, mark!" Dan dutted for four counts and the show began.

The opener went by smoothly, with only a few dropped notes from someone in the low brass section. The ballad also went well; the flute soloist played perfectly. As the battery came back into view from behind the props for the drum solo, a judge appeared in front of them, monologing to his tape recorder. The judge had to jog backwards to stay in front of the battery while they marched toward the front sideline, playing their series of complicated licks.

Phoenix's heart skipped a beat during the drum solo as she remembered that fateful football game. But she forced herself to concentrate on what she was doing _now_, not then. The pit and battery managed to pull off the cleanest run of the solo yet of their marching season. The drum solo neatly flowed into the closer, which finished the show with a bang, literally.

The band marched off the field and into the tunnel to the sound of the cheering crowd. Everyone in the marching band smiled triumphantly at each other while Samantha, Jordan, and the directors congratulated them on an excellent preliminary performance. Then they walked back to the buses, where they put away their instruments and uniforms.

Once everyone was comfortably out of their polyester uniforms, the directors lead the band to another building on the competition site for the tradition nap between the prelims and finals performances. While the exhausted band members gratefully stretched out on the thinly carpeted floor, the drum majors and directors walked back to the dome for the prelims awards and placements. An hour later they returned to the band with their news.

Samantha was chosen to relay the results to the band. She stood at the front of the large room and loudly cleared her throat. All eyes immediately turned to her. "Well, guys," Samantha grinned, "we made finals!" Everyone cheered. "Our performance tonight is at 8:45, so we'll probably be able to watch a few of the bands after us. But right now we're going to eat some delicious Moe's for dinner and then get suited up. Inspection is in an hour, at 7:15."

Everyone got to their feet to claim their Moe's burrito dinner. As usual, the drumline ate together. Dinner passed in the normal manner of laughing and joking while everyone hungrily wolfed down their food. After they ate, the drummers got into uniform and pulled out their drums for the second time that day in preparation for inspection.

Exactly one hour after Samantha's announcement, the entire band was silently assembled for inspection. Section leaders checked the members of their section for gloves, black (not navy blue) socks, polished shoes, clean uniforms, instruments in working order, and, for the girls, hair neatly pulled back in a bun. As usual, everyone passed, and the band was ready to march down to the warm up area.

The warm up passed by with no trouble and soon the band was standing in their opening set on the domed field, once again ready to deliver a stunning performance. "Mark time, mark!" Jordan yelled. _Dut, dut, dut, dut. _The show was underway in finals performance. It seemed like only a minute had passed before the final note was played and the band stepped back into what the trumpet section leader had dubbed "the superman pose" from their closing set. The crowd erupted in applause as they marched off the field to Dan's taps.

In the tunnel Dan commented to the other snares, "That was an _amazing_ run." They all completely agreed.

The band filed into the stands with their instruments to watch the remaining four bands before the awards ceremony. Everyone was antsy and eager to know how the judges had scored their performance. An hour later, all the competing bands marched back onto the field for awards and retreat.

The award ceremony went by slowly. Phoenix waited attentively for their class 5A awards to be called. They won best general effect, but best musical performance went to a school called Black Forest from North Carolina and best drill performance was awarded to Orange Grove, a local Tampa high school. At last the overall placements, what everyone was so patiently waiting for, were called out.

Tenth place…Kruper's Hill High School from Georgia. Ninth place…Droben High School from South Carolina. Eventually it was down to the top final two bands, and Oakpine High School still had yet to be called.

"And in second place," the announcer said, "we have…Black Forest High School! Congratulations to our Region Champions the Oakpine High School Marching Wolves and to everyone on the field today. You are all winners in life. Now, when I give the word, you may break rank to congratulate, compliment, and celebrate with each other. Go ahead, break rank!"

Everyone in the Oakpine band screamed in excitement. Ally and Phoenix hugged each other and jumped excitedly despite the tenor hooks on Phoenix's harness poking into Ally's ribs. The entire band was seemed to be one massive, hugging group. Eventually the drumline broke away from their band and wandered through the crowd to talk to people from other bands, but not before Matt had brought them their medals. Matt shook the handful of medals and asked, "Who wants some bling?"

The drummers all smiled with pride as he put the medals around each one's neck.

At last the field was cleared of all the other marching bands, directors, and chaperones. The Oakpine Marching Wolves happily set up for the traditional victory run of the show. Some of the winds could hardly play for smiling, but the drummers easily hit all their notes with giant grins on their faces. When the show was over and the victorious band marched off the field one final time, Phoenix couldn't help but think _I have my life on the line back._

AN: So now that the story is finished, I would really like to know if you thought it was crap or not. I would highly appreciate your opinion. Thanks!


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